WebMD CEO Wygod Takes on Added Post of Chair
Martin Wygod, CEO of WebMD Corp., has assumed the additional role of chair following the resignation of W. Michael Long from the company's board, the Wall Street Journal reports. Long was originally CEO of Healtheon Corp., which merged with WebMD in 1999, and he then became chair of the combined enterprise. The Journal reports that Long's departure "leaves WebMD with top officers drawn almost entirely from companies previously headed by Wygod, who is fighting to stem WebMD's losses and establish it as the leader in the potentially lucrative field of providing electronic services to physicians and health plans" (Carrns, Wall Street Journal, 4/3). Analyst Robert Green of Briefing.com said he expects WebMD to announce layoffs as part of a restructuring plan (on24.com release, 4/4). WebMD also announced Monday that it has extended its contract with IDX Systems Corp., which provides software systems to physician groups and hospitals, "to offer WebMD's electronic claims services to IDX doctors" (Wall Street Journal, 4/3).
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